NOT APPLICABLE
The present invention is directed generally to a container for holding a bouquet of flowers and, specifically, to a container for holding and protecting a bouquet of cut flowers.
The primary types of packaging for cut flowers in current use are: two-piece paperboard boxes, clear plastic boxes of a one piece clam shell design, paper sleeves and plastic sleeves.
The two piece paperboard boxes require significant time and effort to assemble and are cumbersome to handle. Stores have limited storage space to make pre-assembled boxes available to customers.
Boxes which are made of clear plastic do not have the structural strength to hold large cut flower bunches. The lid fastening features are not dependable for holding the lid cover in place.
Sleeves which are made of clear plastic do not offer much protection against the elements and do not protect the flowers from being crushed as the flowers are transported. All sleeves are subject to being punctured by the free ends of the stems.
None of the prior art flower boxes and sleeves offer adequate protection against leaking from moisture emanating from the flower bunch or bouquet. Also, none of the prior art boxes and sleeves enable the natural attractiveness of a bouquet or bunch of cut flowers to be displayed with maximum effect. These and other difficulties experienced with the prior art floral boxes and sleeves have been obviated by the present invention.
It is, therefore, a principal object of the invention to provide a floral container which brings out the natural attractiveness of a bouquet of cut flowers.
A further object of the present invention is the provision of a floral container which provides enhanced protection to a bouquet of cut flowers against crushing.
Another object of the invention is to provide a floral container which provides protection against leaking from moisture generated within the container.
A still further object is to provide a floral container which has superior resistance to damage by the stems of a bouquet of cut flowers.
Still another object of the invention is the provision of a floral container that is easy to assemble and secure against accidental opening.
Another object of the invention is to provide a floral container which provides ventilation at the upper end of the container to allow for air circulation within the container and prolong the life of flowers therein.
With these and other objects of the invention in view, as will be apparent to those skilled in the art, the invention resides in the combination of parts set forth in the specification and covered by the claims appended hereto.
In general, the invention consists of a floral container which is tapered from a relatively large horizontal cross-section at the upper end of the container to a relatively small horizontal cross-section at the lower end of the container. The container has a pair of forward walls, a pair of rearward walls, and a bottom wall. At least one of the forward walls has a transparent portion adjacent the upper end of the container which constitutes a viewing window for the contents of the container.